Lesson 15: Performance Response

During any professional sports competition, a large scoreboard is displayed where everyone can see it. Spectators like to know how a team is doing, but the scoreboard is even more important for the coach and team members.

► Why is it important for the coach and players to know the score during the game?

The scoreboard is necessary for understanding how the game is going, evaluating the effectiveness of a strategy, making decisions, adjusting, and winning.[1]

A leader must be able to explain the “score” of the organization to the people he leads and the people who are in authority over him.

In many organizations, no system is established for evaluating the performance of the leader. Everyone has an opinion based on their idea of what the leader should be doing. The leader needs to be able to evaluate his own performance and explain it, especially to those who set requirements for him.

The leader must also be able to evaluate and correct the performance of the people he leads. He must do this in a way that does not discourage them or reduce his influence with them.

► What happens if a leader corrects his people without concern for their feelings?

An organization usually has a board of directors who are the highest authority for the organization. Sometimes they are called the board of trustees. The organization executive may or may not be the chairman of the board. The highest leader of the organization (the executive) is accountable to the board.

The board of trustees has final authority for dealing with conflicts in the institution that are not settled by the administration. It is important that the board and the executive and his staff all have a shared understanding of the overall vision and definition of success for the organization. Some organizations have had problems because the leader and his staff developed a vision for the organization that was different from the vision of the board.

The executive supervises the other staff members of the organization, and the staff ordinarily should not get directions directly from the board. The executive is responsible for helping the staff succeed. He should realize that when he reports to the board that staff members have failed or made mistakes, he is reporting that he failed to lead.

The board sets general policies and goals for the organization. The executive directs the operations of the organization and makes decisions about how to fulfill the general goals of the board.

What decisions can be made by the executive without talking to the board? That depends on the relationship between the executive and the board. If a leader has done well in his position for a long time, the board trusts him to make many decisions. If he makes decisions that have bad results, the board becomes concerned and wants to be involved in more decisions.

When an executive makes good decisions that have good results, the board’s trust in him increases. He can also increase their trust by always being completely honest about situations, keeping them informed so they are not surprised by problems, and taking time to listen to and understand them.

► Why is it important for the highest leader of an organization to be accountable to a board?

A Bad Example

Uzziah was a strong king who made the nation prosperous, expanded its territory, developed the military, and advanced agricultural methods. He ruled for 52 years.

By the time he had ruled for 40 years, his influence was enormous. Most of the people he ruled had never had another king. His decisions had produced good results. He began to feel that he did not need to listen to anyone.

Uzziah began to see himself as the absolute authority. Because the king was from the tribe of Judah and priests were from the tribe of Levi, the same person could not be both king and priest. However, Uzziah decided to take authority over the Temple worship and lead the worship (2 Chronicles 26:16-21). God had given rules so that the king could not be a priest because in many nations, the king was worshipped as a god.

Uzziah was struck with leprosy and lived the last 11 years of his life in a separate house, ruling only through representatives. Many great long-term leaders have ended sadly because of arrogant attitudes and actions in the last years of their lives.

How can a person know that his work meets the expectations of those to whom he reports? He needs them to give him an evaluation of his work.

[1]Evaluations may be formal and detailed, or they may be casual and simple. The most effective and useful form of evaluation is when a leader briefly tells someone what he is doing well and what should be improved. This evaluation is not thorough; it does not cover every aspect of the person’s performance. Instead, the leader commends certain qualities and corrects faults.

Most people look at themselves in a mirror every day to see how to improve their appearance. Without a mirror, would you know what you look like? You would decide whether you are attractive or not by the responses of other people. Performance response is like a mirror for our work.

I firmly believe that providing feedback is the most cost-effective strategy for improving performance and instilling satisfaction. It can be done quickly, it costs nothing, and it can turn people around fast.[2]

People desire approval. It is a basic human need. People are motivated by the hope of being approved by others. If a person is deprived of performance response, his motivation tends to decline.

► What happens if a worker never receives any response to his work?

To be able to give performance response to others, the leader should first view himself humbly. If he thinks he has no faults, he will be intolerant of the faults of others.

The leader should be evaluating himself and developing and improving with humility. He should be aware of his own mistakes. Otherwise, he is not able to correct others.

A leader wants people to be accountable to him for their work, but he should consider to whom he is accountable. Even if he is the highest leader in the organization, he is accountable to someone: perhaps a board of directors, supporters of the organization, and the people he serves. He should understand his own accountability, so that he is able to require the right accountability from the people he leads.

A leader is also accountable to the people who work for him, because he is responsible to provide them with the conditions they need for success. Some leaders do not remember this two-way accountability. A leader needs to admit his mistakes and realize when he did not give his people what they needed.

King Nebuchadnezzar was a great leader who became proud of his accomplishments and exalted himself rather than worshipping God. God turned him into something like an animal for seven years so that he could realize that he was subject to God’s power (Daniel 4:28-37).

During those seven years, Nebuchadnezzar crawled in a field and ate plants. He could not function as king, but he was not removed from his position. He was in an oriental culture where position does not depend on ability.

Many centuries later, another king, Herod Agrippa, traveled to speak to the people in a region that depended on him financially. Because they wanted his favors, they praised him, saying “The voice of a god, and not of a man.” When Herod heard the praise, he accepted it, instead of reminding himself that he was human and that the praise was not sincere. He wanted to feel that he really was a god. God struck him immediately with an illness, and he died from internal parasites (Acts 12:20-23). The irony of this event was obvious to everyone—the man praised as a god soon died in a painful and repulsive way.

Affirming a person’s work can be done many ways. To let a person do his job without interference is one way to show confidence. If you constantly tell him what to do and how to do it, you show that you do not trust him to do the job well.

Positive encouragement is far more effective than criticism. Most people are discouraged by criticism. Most people become defensive when they are criticized. Instead of trying to correct their behavior, they try to justify it.

Some leadership writers believe that even if a person is doing most things wrong and a few things right, the best way to develop him is to affirm what he is doing right and say almost nothing about what he is doing wrong. His performance does not have to be perfect to deserve praise. Any action that shows good effort and any movement in the right direction can be praised. The result is that he will do more of the right actions and fewer of the wrong actions.

Many leaders make the terrible mistake of noticing only the things people do wrong. They don’t notice the good things because they are watching only for problems. The follower thinks that his accomplishments are not seen because they are not mentioned.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian believers to correct many errors, especially in their use of spiritual gifts. But look how he began his letter (1 Corinthians 1:4-7). He complimented them for having so many spiritual gifts. Now imagine if he had first scolded them for the way they used spiritual gifts without giving this compliment. They would have reacted, “Doesn’t he see that we have many spiritual gifts? Does he not appreciate how strong we are with spiritual gifts?” Paul affirmed their strength before talking about their faults.

► Look at the letters to the seven churches of Asia in Revelation 2-3. How does each letter begin?

Forms of congratulation can be put into several pairs of categories.[1] According to Blanchard and Bowles, all these forms are good, but the second form of each pair is the most effective.

1. Programmed or spontaneous. An example of programmed congratulation would be a certificate. Spontaneous congratulation would be an unexpected reward or compliment.
    
2. Group or individual. A team earns honors for its success. An individual can be praised or rewarded for his specific contribution.
    
3. General or specific. An example of general congratulation is when a person is honored for the length of time he has worked. A specific congratulation could be made when a person does something special for a customer. 
    
4. Traditional or unique. A pay bonus, a certificate, or plaque are forms of traditional congratulation in some places. A gift that meets someone’s personal need or interest would be unique.

If a person has not performed well but has a desire to do well, you may not be able to sincerely congratulate, but you can encourage. Show appreciation for the person’s commitment and confidence that he can do well in the future.

► What forms of performance response would you like to receive? What forms have you used for others?

Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers. He later spent years in prison because of a false accusation.

Joseph refused to be overcome by bitterness. He chose instead to help. He became a leader by serving. He managed the property of the man he served (Genesis 39:4). Later, he became a manager in the prison.

God changed Joseph’s situation and put him in a high position in Egypt. When Joseph’s brothers came, Joseph forgave them, realizing that God was in control of his life (Genesis 50:20). God used Joseph to save Egypt, other nations, and his family from starving.

Many potential leaders become discouraged and bitter because of injustice that is done to them. They feel that their promotion is impossible because of people who refuse them opportunity. Joseph knew that God was in control of his life.

Always remember that most people react to criticism defensively. They feel that criticism makes them lose personal value. When they are criticized, they immediately want to justify themselves.

There is an old saying: “When the only tool you have is a hammer, you want to see every problem as a nail.” Some leaders use criticism as a hammer, and they try to correct every problem by “hammering” somebody.

A leader should develop a relationship of trust with his people so that they know he wants to help them. Before any criticism and during it, the leader should show appreciation for the person’s qualities. Recognize the good work they do. Express your expectation that the person can do well. Affirm the value of your relationship with the person.

[1]The person wants to understand how you really feel about him. When you are correcting him, he watches for indications. What he thinks you feel about him will affect the results of the correction more than the information you discuss.

As much as possible, describe the effects of the wrong action without blaming. As leader, personally take as much blame as possible. Express your continued trust in and good expectations for the person you are correcting.

► Give an example of how you could correct someone using the directions above.

In a conversation to correct wrong behavior, try to address only one problem, rather than listing many mistakes. If you talk about many problems with someone’s performance, he may conclude that he has no value.

Don’t be sarcastic. Don’t use the words “never” or “always” when describing the person’s mistakes. Do not repeatedly describe the wrong behavior except to the extent necessary for their understanding.

When dealing with a person with problems (including a leader who is above you), consider these questions:

• Where has he been in life?
• What does he feel about his situation?
• What does he really want?

A team should purposefully learn from mistakes and failures. Analyze a mistake together—not to blame someone, but to learn from it. Afterwards, a mistake should not be used to keep a score against someone.

► How do you expect to change your goals or actions because of this lesson?

1. The leader must be able to evaluate and correct the performance of the people he leads.

2. When an executive makes good decisions that have good results, the board’s trust in him increases.

3. People are motivated by the hope of being approved by others.

4. Positive encouragement is far more effective than criticism.

5. A team should purposefully learn from mistakes and failures.

1. Write a paragraph summarizing a life-changing concept from this lesson. Explain why it is important. What good can it do? What harm could result from not knowing it?

2. Explain how you will apply the principles of this lesson to your own life. How does this lesson change your goals? How do you plan to change your actions?

3. Memorize the Five Summary Statements for Lesson 15. Be prepared to write them from memory at the beginning of the next class session.